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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Vatican
City, 19 June 2013
(VIS) - Pope Francis dedicated his catechesis of the Wednesday
general audience to the expression “of the body” that the Second
Vatican Council used to indicate the nature of the Church: the Church
is the body of Christ. The Pope recalled the text of the conversion
of Saul, who became Paul, in order to explain how the Apostle, with
that experience, tells us how profound the union between Christians
and Christ is.

“The
image of the body helps us to understand this deep bond between
Church and Christ, which St. Paul particularly developed,” the Pope
said. “The Church … is a living body … and this body has a
head, Jesus, who guides, nourishes, and sustains it. … [But], the
same way that in a body it is important that the lifeblood courses
for it to live, so must we allow Jesus to work in us, so that his
Word might guide us, his Eucharistic presence might nourish and
inspire us, and so that his love might give strength to our love for
our neighbour.”

“In
the Church, therefore,” the pontiff continued, “there is a
variety, a diversity of tasks and functions. There is no dull
uniformity but the richness of the gifts that the Holy Spirit
distributes. There is communion and unity: all are in relation to one
another and all combine to form a single vital body, profoundly
connected to Christ. Let us remember this well: being part of the
Church means being united to Christ and receiving from him the divine
life that makes us to live as Christians. It means remaining united
to the Pope and bishops who are instruments of unity and communion
and it also means learning to overcome selfishness and divisions, to
understand one another better, and to harmonize the variety and
richness of each one. In a word, loving God and the persons around
us, in our families, parishes, and associations, better. Body and
limbs must be united in order to live!”

Speaking
extemporaneously, the Holy Father added: “Unity is always greater
than conflict. Conflicts, if they aren't resolved well, separate us
from one another, separate us from God. Conflict can help us grow but
it can also divide us. Let's not take the path of division and
struggle between one another. All united, all united with our
differences but always united: this is Jesus' path.”

“How
much damage is caused to the Church by divisions among Christians, by
being apart, by narrow interests! The divisions among us,” he
continued, “but also the divisions between the communities:
evangelical Christians, Orthodox Christians, Catholic Christians, why
are we divided? We must try to bring unity. … We must pray together
as Catholics and also with other Christians, must pray that the Lord
grant us unity, unity between us. But how will we have unity among
Christians if we aren't capable of having it among us Catholics? Of
having it in our family? How many families fight and are divided!
Seek unity, the unity that makes the Church. Unity comes from Jesus
Christ. He sends us the Holy Spirit to create unity.”